I Still Remember
by Hester Golem
Summary: Drarry. Songfic: I Still Remember - Bloc Party. After the war, Harry and Draco realise they have more in common than they think. They become unlikely friends but neither of them can deny their feelings for very long... MxM Boylove HP/DM rated M to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

"When your hamster has turned an acceptable shade of flamingo pink, your colour transformation is complete. However, should your hamster take on any other colour, you will have to try again..." Professor McGonagall's voice droned on but Harry had begun to tune her out.

He couldn't concentrate on this lesson, he had other things preoccupying his mind but he made sure to look attentive despite the fact that he was practically buzzing with nerves. Out of the corner of his eye he could see the smile widen on Draco's face, he knew he was feeling the same thrill.

It had been four months since the two called a truce as the result of a particularly nasty curse which backfired, landing them both in the Hospital Wing for three whole weeks with nobody for company but each other. Over those weeks, the two boys learned that they actually had a lot in common with one another, just as Harry felt the pressures of the wizarding world to still be their Golden Boy, despite the war having ended, Draco also felt the pressures from his own family to maintain the pureblood line. They both felt they could not be themselves in their daily lives and longed for freedom. They found they could confide in each other, sharing those parts of themselves that rarely got to see the light of day, Harry learned that Draco was actually a very compassionate person and had a great interest in medical magic. Draco, in turn, learned that Harry was just as vulnerable as he was, the death of his parents had left him yearning for a family of his own. Neither wanted the lives that the world had intended for them, all they wanted was to be free to make their own choices and decisions.

By the end of the three weeks in the Hospital Wing the two had formed an unlikely but strong bond, a bond that found a way into every aspect of their lives. They began seeing each other regularly outside of class, they would take trips to the library to study but would end up talking the whole time, leaving their work abandoned on the floor as they joked and laughed. They would meet in the Room of Requirement and spend hours talking about their plans for the future, what they wanted to do when they graduated, which Quidditch team had the best chances to win the World Cup and whatever they felt like talking to the other about. They spent weeks getting to know each other and gradually they decided that it was time that their friendship became public knowledge, people had already been asking questions, wondering why the school's two biggest rivals were suddenly completely fine with each other.

This was the first time they had ever sat next to each other in class. The development of Ron and Hermione's relationship meant that Ron often liked to sit next to Hermione in the classes that they had together, leaving Harry to either sit with some random Gryffindor or by himself. Today, he decided he wanted to sit next to Draco as the two had been friends for over three months now and it seemed that fate favoured him that day as Draco strolled confidently into the classroom and took the empty seat next to Harry, as though he could read his mind.

Harry knew he would be questioned endlessly at the end of the class by his two best friends but he didn't care, he would let them know that he was Draco's friend and if they had a problem with it they would just have to deal with it themselves. Right now, all he could focus on was the intense vibes that were rolling off the Slytherin boy next to him, so distracted he almost jumped a foot in the air when he felt Draco's hand touch his, gently slipping a note between his fingers. Forcing himself to keep attentive, he slowly opened the small piece of paper, making sure not to let anyone see.

Draco's impressive handwriting read:

_Harry, _

_What are your plans for the Hogsmeade trip? - D_

Harry hurriedly wrote back:

_Not sure yet, was going to go with Ron and Hermione but they're being really coupley right now, might be best to avoid that. You? - H_

Draco's reply was swift but delivered with a slightly nervous hand.

_Do you want to go with me? - D_

Harry's heart thudded excitedly against his ribcage at those words, he couldn't explain that reaction.

_Sure, what did you have in mind? - H_

_There's a really nice spot near the canal, thought we could hang out there, maybe bring some food. - D_

_Sounds great, meet you in the entrance hall at 12? Then we can walk together. - H_

_Perfect. Now, we had better pay attention before McGonagall gets angry and gives us both detention. - D_

Harry smiled and nodded slightly, before scrunching up the note and slipping it into his pocket.


	2. Chapter 2

As the Golden trio made their way up the stairs to their common room, Hermione and Ron finally got the chance to ask Harry their burning questions.

"Hey Harry, why was Malfoy sitting next to you in Transfiguration?" Ron asked bluntly.

"Harry was caught a little off-guard by the timing but regained himself quickly.

"I guess we're friends now."  
Ron and Hermione looked completely gobsmacked.  
"When did this happen?" Hermione asked.  
"We got to know each other better when we were both in the Hospital Wing. He's actually a good guy, once you get to know him."  
"I don't want to 'get to know' him! He's been a complete prat to us since first year, have you forgotten all that?" Ron shot angrily at him.  
"Think about it Ron, we were just as bad as him! Remember that time in the bathroom when I almost killed him? He's different now, we've all changed since the war." Harry argued.  
The memory of the war was still fresh in their minds, the mention of it left them all momentarily stunned as their minds pulled them back to the smell of burning rubble and death. It was too much to handle.  
Ron stormed off without so much as a word.  
Hermione watched him go before turning back to Harry.  
"He just needs some time to get used to all this. It seems that your friendship with Malfoy makes you happy, these past few months I have seen a great improvement in your overall mood. Don't get me wrong, it will take time for us all to get used to it but I'm glad two are friends." Hermione said, smiling slightly.  
"Thanks Hermione, I'm glad you understand." Harry smiled back.  
Hermione's smile faltered as she remembered what she needed to talk to him about.  
"Uh, Harry, there's one more thing. It's about the Hogsmeade trip. See, Ron and I haven't been on a date since we started school again and we were wondering, what with the trip tomorrow..."  
"You guys want some alone time. I understand, don't worry about me I'll be fine. I have plans with someone else already." Harry cut her off, knowing that this was going to be the case.  
"Oh that's excellent! Thank you so much for understanding." Hermione grinned as she hugged Harry in thanks.  
"So, who are you going with?" she asked, curiosity burning.  
"Draco. We're going to the canal for a picnic."  
Hermione raised her eyebrows but said nothing, a few months ago she would have never thought she would hear Harry say he was going on a picnic with Malfoy but things had changed. The war had changed everything.

The two walked in partial silence back to their common room, both distracted by their thoughts.

The morning of the Hogsmeade trip found Harry rushing to get ready. He showered vigorously, making sure that he was squeaky clean before hopping out and drying off. Next, he had to battle with the mess that was his hair until it finally looked decent and only vaguely resembled an owl's nest. Finally, Harry found himself debating what to wear. _This is ridiculous!_ He thought. _I'm just seeing Draco, so why do I feel the need to impress him?_ Harry pondered, before grabbing a pair of jeans, a t-shirt and a button-up shirt to throw over the top. It was fairly warm outside as they were coming up to the middle of spring, but there was always a slight breeze which kept things cool. As Harry headed down to have a late breakfast, he bumped into Ron who gave him an awkward glance, before approaching him.  
"Hey mate, I just wanted to say I'm sorry about yesterday. I don't mind you being friends with Malfoy, really, I guess it just caught me by surprise. It was shit and I was a prat. Are we okay?" Ron shuffled his feet nervously, eyes darting from Harry's face to his feet.  
Harry smiled.  
"Don't worry about it mate. We're okay."  
Ron looked noticeably relieved.  
"Thanks mate. Hermione told me you're going to Hogsmeade today with Malfoy. Is that right?" Ron asked.  
"That's right." Harry replied with a hint of defiance, still unsure of Ron's feelings towards his friendship with Draco.  
"I hope you have a good time." Ron said earnestly.  
Harry was taken aback at his best friend's response, but recovered quickly to give him a grateful smile.  
As they walked into the Great Hall for breakfast, their conversation turned to a lighter subject and soon the two of them were back to their usual banter. Hermione was already at the table, as per usual, enjoying what looked to be a very sensible breakfast of muesli and reading a book. She looked up as they approached and her cheeks flushed slightly when she made eye contact with Ron. He grinned at her in response and sat down next to her. As they began to eat Harry's eyes wandered over to the Slytherin table, searching for a head of shocking white blonde hair.  
The Slytherin table was almost always deserted these days, partially due to the low numbers of Slytherin students returned to Hogwarts after the war but also because the ones who did return tended to keep to themselves, only leaving their dorms when necessary. Hogwarts had certainly changed since the war had taken place and the students felt the effects. It was a more sullen place than before, there was of course still a lot of fun and chatter going on, but the Hogwarts sense of safety and nurturing had been tainted. It was going to take a lot longer than a few years for that wound to heal but the fact that there were kids in the halls again was proof enough that Hogwarts and its people were resilient.  
Harry finally found what he was looking for when Draco strolled into the Great Hall and took one of the many vacant seats on the Slytherin house table. Harry's heart beat faster at the sight of the blonde boy and again he tried to push those feelings down. _Don't be silly Harry, you're not...like that_. He could not bring himself to use the word.

Shaking his head free of _those_ thoughts, he returned his gaze to the half finished plate of breakfast in front of him and tried his best to finish his meal.

Once breakfast was over he headed upstairs to the common room where he, Ron and Hermione got their final preparations ready for the Hogsmeade trip. Hermione made sure they all had their coats, despite it being a warm day and Ron dashed upstairs to change his shirt as the other one had gotten a stain over the course of breakfast. Making sure he had money and his wand, Harry made his way downstairs to meet Draco, excitement rippling throughout his body as he descended.

To be continued.

A/N: Sorry this chapter was put out so rushed before and from my tablet so the formatting went haywire, sorry! I've fixed it now, sorry for the incomprehensibility! Hopefully another chapter to come soon (I know I've been such a butthole for not posting in ages!).


	3. Chapter 3

The Entrance Hall was buzzing with excited senior students, gathering in small clusters and talking animatedly about their plans for the Hogsmeade trip. The sounds of their laughter echoed through the hall and the high ceilings of the castle, the sounds of their mirth could be heard through the adjoining corridors. Harry felt slightly awkward as he navigated his way through the crowd, the collective noise was overwhelming and he felt a little claustrophobic as he pushed through groups, ducking his head apologetically. He looked for any sign of the Slytherin, a shock of white hair or that seldom seen smirk which he enjoyed watching when it would cross Draco's features. McGonagall's sharp tone resonating through the halls pulled Harry's attention from his search.

"All students with correctly filled out permission slips wishing to travel to Hogsmeade, will you please form an orderly line in front of me, any nonsense on the path to Hogsmeade and you will be sent back to the castle. Is that understood?" McGonagall announced, standing in front of the enormous doors.

Harry's heart began to race, _what if I can't find him? What if we get left behind? What if Draco decided he wanted to go to Hogsmeade with some other Slytherins and he didn't bother telling me? _Harry's mind reeled with all the worst case scenarios he could conjure, he was beginning to panic until he felt a hand on his shoulder and his heart jumped as he turned around to face that smirk.

Draco held up a basket and smiled sheepishly at Harry.

"Sorry I'm a bit late, I was down in the kitchens convincing the house elves to make this up for us. It's surprising what a little bribery can produce in a short amount of time." He winked at Harry when he mentioned bribery. The Gryffindor wondered what he had used to bribe house elves, from his understanding they did not covet money the way wizards and witches did.

"That's okay, I haven't been waiting for long." Harry lied, he did not want Draco thinking he was waiting around for him, that was too close to pinning for him and he was certainly _not_ pinning after Draco Malfoy.

A great line had formed in front of McGonagall, almost reaching the base of the stairs, she turned her back to the line for just a moment to perform a rather stylish swish of her wand and with that the huge double doors began to slowly swing open. Keeping a watchful eye on those following her, McGonagall began leading the group down the steps and onto the path towards Hogsmeade. The line was so long it took a few moments for Harry and Draco to get moving but once they started out the doors, the great line began to splinter off as the students split into smaller groups. By the time they were half way to Hogsmeade the smaller groups had separated by a lot and Harry almost felt like it was just him and Draco. The idea of which sent his heart into a frenzy and his skin tingled. _It's just the cold_, he thought.

When they finally reached Hogsmeade, Draco and Harry made their way through the main street and down a side street that led to the canal. As they drew closer, Harry could hear the sound of flowing water and he subconsciously quickened his pace. Draco observed his eagerness with a stifled laugh, Harry looked back at him and his cheeks grew hot. Draco increased his pace to catch up with Harry.

"Don't worry, I'm excited too. Have you been to the canal before?" he asked, giving Harry a wide grin.

"I haven't been to the Hogsmeade canal, but there was a canal near my Aunt and Uncle's house. I used to go down there a lot when I was younger, just to get away from them sometimes. Fond memories I guess." Harry said, rubbing the back of his neck.

Draco gave Harry a reassuring smile, knowing what it felt like to need space from a constricting family life and hummed in agreement. Draco shifted his grip on the basket before placing a reassuring hand on the Gryffindor's shoulder and he could feel the warmth coming from the other boy.

A/N: Hey so it has been a while ey? What's been happening with you guys? ':D Seriously, sorry this has taken literally years. I went away from Fanfiction for a while but I have come back as it seems I cannot keep away, but I also cannot write as much as I wish. Anyway, hope you all like it, the next chapter is already written I just need to tweak it. Thanks guys!


	4. Chapter 4

When they finally reached the water, Harry couldn't help a sharp intake of breath, the scene was beautiful. Willow trees lined both sides of the canal and large, dark grey stone served as the edges of the waterway. If it were not for the stone edge, the water would have almost met with the grassy sides of the bank. The sparkling water ran steady and clear, transitioning to a deep blue at the bottom which Harry admired with awe. The two made their way to the bank, setting the basket down a few feet from the water's edge and Draco laid out the picnic blanket.

"This is amazing. How did you find out about this place?" Harry asked, still distracted by the stunning scenery.

"I came here for the first time in third year, it was winter then but it still left a lasting impression. I've been coming here ever since, every Hogsmeade trip."

"Third year…was that the year…?" Harry trailed off, looking slightly ashamed.

"Ah, yes. _That_ trip. The one where I was a prat to Granger and was rightly pestered by a certain _poltergeist_." Draco looked amused but also with a hint of shame.

Harry grinned sheepishly.

"How unfortunate, I hear that has been a real problem, especially around the Shrieking Shack."

"You know, I hear that place is haunted." Draco replied with a sly grin.

"Best to avoid it in the future then, ey?" Harry suggested, winking at Draco.

The two boys chuckled, both enjoying reminiscing about the silly things they had done in their early school years. The picnic basket was opened and food was shared, the house elves had been very generous, packing them fresh pumpkin juice, little tarts, sandwiches, crackers and dips. The two enjoyed the spread, still laughing and chatting away as the afternoon sun hung lower in the sky. Once they had finished everything and packed the picnic food away, Harry came up with a rather adventurous idea.

"Hey, want to go swimming?" he asked, excitedly standing up and walking closer to the water.

"Really? In there? Very…Gryffindor of you." Draco stated, raising an eyebrow.

"Why not? It's not like anyone is around to stop us." Harry pointed out.

Draco considered it for a moment before standing up and joining Harry by the edge of the water. He met Harry's gaze, taking a deep breath before slowly unbuttoning his trousers and kicking off his shoes. Harry's cheeks reddened for what felt like the hundredth time that day and he turned away to hide his blush. He began taking off his own trousers with shaky hands, trying to act like he was fine and not feeling strange about the idea of Draco without his trousers on. While he was still fiddling with his zip he heard a loud splash and whirled around to see Draco had dived into the canal. He was happily swimming and from what Harry could see, without a shirt.

"Are you coming in then? Or do you prefer just to watch?" Draco drawled in a tone that stopped Harry's heart for a millisecond.

Harry quickly shed his shirt and dived in to join Draco in the canal, creating a sizeable splash which sprayed over the blonde. This initiated an animated splash war which continued for the next hour and ended in a contested victory for Draco. The two boys dragged themselves from the canal, water dripping all over the picnic blanket before Draco cast a drying spell on the both of them. They both shoved their trousers back on, Draco with more grace than Harry as they both lay down once more on the blanket. Chests heaving from the intensity of the war they had just ended, both boys lay almost silent, just hearing each other breathe in and out.

Harry shifted and looked over at Draco, his eyes drawn to the other boy's contented smile. Draco had closed his eyes and was relaxed, feeling the cool breeze that was rolling off the canal. _He is so…beautiful, uhhh why am I thinking that? _Harry's thoughts were interrupted when Draco's hand dropped from where it had been resting on his stomach to the space next to Harry's. He could almost feel their fingers touching, just half an inch more and they would be making skin to skin contact.

A/N: I got a lot more writing done today so I have another chapter coming soon. It will EVENTUALLY get to be something (hopefully) not just almost touching and awkwardness. Stay tuned!


	5. Chapter 5

_Brrrrrrrrrrr. _Both their wands began vibrating, signaling that their allowed time in Hogsmeade was almost at an end. Draco's eyes snapped open and he sat up, pulling his wand out of his trouser pocket.

"Looks like we had better start walking back to the castle, McGonagall will have both our heads if we're late." Draco spoke hurriedly and began to search for his shirt.

"Yeah, you're right." Harry agreed, before he found his own shirt and pulled it over his head.

Once the two had packed up the blanket and were respectably clothed, they began the long walk back to the castle. Harry's feet dragged as he walked, wanting to spend more time alone with Draco and cursing McGonagall for only giving them the afternoon in Hogsmeade.

The Slytherin boy was unusually quiet on the way back, Draco was never one for long speeches but usually they would have some lighthearted conversation as they walked. He looked as though he was deep in thought and Harry wondered what could possibly be troubling him.

"Is something wrong?" Harry asked, concerned.

"No, nothing." Draco insisted but would not meet Harry's gaze.

He let the issue drop and the two walked up the steps to the castle. Once inside, McGonagall appraised them with a look as if to say "You two certainly took your time" but the they were not late so she let them pass without word.

When they reached the parting point between the path to the Slytherin Dungeons and the path to the Gryffindor Common Room, Draco gave Harry a small smile.

"Thanks for coming with me today, I haven't had so much fun on a Hogsmeade trip before." Draco spoke almost in a whisper.

"I'm glad, I had a lot of fun." Harry smiled back.

It felt strange to Harry, as though he had just gone on a date with Draco and he should be kissing him goodbye or something. The idea of kissing Draco had Harry's mind going into defense mode, _I should __**not**__ be thinking about that._ Harry mentally chastised himself as he said goodbye to Draco and headed off in the direction of the Common Room. That didn't stop him, however, from sneaking a few glances back to watch Draco as he walked towards the Dungeons.

_I must be going crazy, did someone put something in the water in the canal?_

The Common Room was very busy with it being a Saturday and the afternoon of the Hogsmeade trip, most of the Gryffindors had gathered here before dinner. Harry spied Hermione and Ron in the corner, sharing what looked like a private moment. He didn't feel like interrupting them so he walked upstairs to the dorm.

The dorm was void of any of his roommates. _They must all be downstairs _Harry mused, before moving to lie down in his bed and shutting the curtains. Finally, he was alone, he could gather his thoughts about the Hogsmeade trip, the goodbye and everything that happened in-between.

Down in the Slytherin dungeons, another young wizard was having the same confusions and thoughts. Draco lay on his bed, tossing and turning, his thoughts churned and his brow furrowed.

It would be a long night for both.

A/N: Okay! Here is chapter 5, things are progressing really slowly I'm sorry. In the next few chapters we should see some movement hopefully. There will be trips back to the Burrow and some interesting moments between the two of them. Stay tuned!


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